


Take It All in on Your Stride

by Tiofrean



Series: Feel good [2]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: A tiny bit of fluff, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, FightClub!AU, M/M, Porn With Plot, cop!Rick, fighter!Daryl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-13 04:03:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12975471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tiofrean/pseuds/Tiofrean
Summary: Rick is unsettled after their raid on the fight club the other day. Faced with what he's seen running through his head over and over again, he finally calls Daryl over. The fighter makes it all better.





	Take It All in on Your Stride

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nel_gal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nel_gal/gifts).



> I wanted to write the second part of this for so long I can't even really say when this need started. So here you have it. MermaidSheenaz touched it up to make sure I didn't fuck up too badly. All other mistakes are on me xD
> 
> Dedicated to Nel_gal who just about made my day recently with her comment! :)

The police bust that had taken place three days after Rick’s first meeting with Daryl had been hard. They had pinned Negan down, and in turn, Negan had fought back. Nobody had seen the baseball bat he had stashed under the table until it had been too late. Negan’s people had helped him. The result had been two officers crawling out of there with their legs broken at the end of the day. Three others had gotten shot. Leon Basset…

Rick still felt sick every time his mind went back to that day. Leon had been the one to corner Negan… Good, kind Leon. An upstanding officer, too. It was such a shame that Leon’s own kid had to cry over his father’s closed coffin at the tender age of five.

Rick winced, barely stopping his thoughts from going into this direction. He had been doing a lot of unnecessary thinking lately. Half of it had been about that one night, the second half… Well, the second half had been about that _other_ night, the night when he had met Daryl, sucked him off and had seemingly gotten a bad case of a crush. Choosing between seeing his dead friend over and over in his head and calling Daryl was a no-brainer, but Rick had still hesitated for a few days before he had done it. He didn’t even know why he had been so hesitant to call Daryl in the first place. The fighter had made it quite clear that he was more than interested.

Today something had finally snapped in Rick, making him grab his phone and dial the number, and now he was here, sitting in his living room after he had spoken to Daryl and texted him his address, waiting for the guy to show up. It would have been pathetic, if only Rick hadn’t needed it so badly. He didn’t even know what they would do, there was nothing in particular that Rick wanted… except for seeing Daryl.

After his girlfriend had broken up with him, all Rick had was Shane and his work. It was his day off - _afternoon_ , actually - and Shane was out somewhere, chasing tails, coping in his own way. All Rick had to do was sitting at home and moping around. And with what had happened with Leon…

The knocking on his door startled Rick. He had a doorbell, so who the hell was still _knocking?_ _Daryl,_ Rick’s mind supplied once he had opened the door. The fighter was standing there, his whole figure darkened by the sun casting strange shadows behind his back. Rick swallowed, throat suddenly dry, as he took in Daryl’s bare arms, the casual way he was leaning to one side, his hands jammed in his pockets that made his waist look so small compared to the width of his arms…  
“Hey” Rick greeted and Daryl answered with a bob of his head, eyes staring straight into Rick’s. “Come in…” Rick opened the door wider and stepped aside, letting Daryl pass next to him and into the living room. He closed the door quickly and followed, catching up with Daryl and throwing his arm to the side, hoping he appeared as casual as Daryl. “Make yourself at home. Beer?”  
“Yeah, sure” Daryl answered, and Rick had to close his eyes for a second. It was the first thing he had heard Daryl say in person since _that night_. Sure, they had spoken on the phone earlier, but Daryl’s voice sounded misshapen through the receiver, the tone of it nothing out of the ordinary. _Now,_ Daryl’s voice had the raspiness Rick could easily remember from that night, the raspiness that finished him off anytime he let his hand wander south in the shower.

Quickly grabbing two beers, Rick wandered back to the living room, thinking how he definitely knew what he wanted now. Daryl was waiting for him on Rick’s couch, sprawled over it, legs wide and one hand thrown carelessly over the backrest. Rick planted himself right next to him, handing over one bottle and hoping his cheeks were not as red as he feared they were.  
“Thanks” Daryl took the bottle and looked at Rick, his gaze almost a physical weight slipping over Rick’s body. Rick had the sudden urge to run to his bedroom and change… He was wearing a pair of light, washed-out jeans and a white t-shirt and he felt a bit underdressed for the occasion. Daryl looked so good next to him, sitting on Rick’s couch in his black Levis and a black, sleeveless button-up… Rick had to concentrate hard not to inhale the beer instead of swallowing it down.  
“Heard ya made a bust in that club” Daryl spoke over the bottle, eyes never leaving Rick’s.  
“Yeah… sorry for shutting the whole joint down” Rick apologized, he knew Daryl had probably been making some money there, a fighter like him. Daryl just shrugged.  
“No worries, man. We found another place. The fighters are good and there are no shitty meth-heads” Daryl took another swing and Rick turned to watch him. Daryl was leaning on the backrest, throwing his head back to gulp down from the bottle, and Rick wanted to dive in and lick his exposed throat, feel it move beneath his lips. He shook his head.

“Heard ‘t was bad, tho” Daryl said in a soft voice and Rick cringed.  
“Leon… Deputy Basset… _Negan…_ ” Rick fumbled and finally broke off with a sigh. Daryl’s arm, the one that he had placed on the back of the couch, moved slightly. A little jerk of muscles, as if Daryl wanted to move it but stopped himself at the last moment.  
“I know. I heard” Daryl whispered, “‘m sorry” he added and Rick nodded, trying not to let his brain go there. “That why ya called?” Rick’s head jerked up hearing that and he realized that Daryl was a bit blurry around the edges. He tried to blink it away, hoping the fighter wouldn’t notice. Daryl only frowned.  
“No. I… _honestly?_ I don’t know” Rick gave a short, humorless laugh. “I just can’t stop thinking about you…”  
“Oh yeah?” Daryl prompted, eyes narrowing, and Rick’s heart gave a little jump when he remembered just how dangerous Daryl could be. _Something else_ gave a jump, too.

“What’re ya thinkin’ bout?” Daryl said in a dangerous tone, accent heavy and eyes staring straight into Rick’s. Rick almost groaned aloud, voice catching in his chest at the last possible second. He licked his lips and noted how Daryl’s arm twitched again where it was perched at the back of the couch. Rick opened his mouth and then closed it. He couldn’t really bring himself to say what he wanted or how he wanted it. He had thought about Daryl in every single configuration that his mind could provide, jerking off furiously to each one of them, loving every next more than the previous. And now, Daryl was here, asking him about it and Rick was just stuck staring at him…

That is, until Daryl broke the stillness with his hand, the one hooked behind the back of the couch, which now went to Rick’s hair and brushed it away from his temple. Rick closed his eyes, breathing out a small sigh, relaxing in the tingling sensation of Daryl’s fingertips trailing over his skin.  
“Tell me, Rick” Daryl gruffed out, and it wasn’t a question, nor a statement. It was something in-between, and it made Rick’s whole body shudder, and he finally found his voice.  
_“Everything”_ Rick whispered and opened his eyes, because the hand in his hair had suddenly gone still. His timing was just right to see Daryl’s own eyes open a bit wider. The fighter cursed silently and leaned in, and then he was kissing Rick. Kissing him messily, _madly_ , with that wild edge to it that brought forth the images of wolves and tigers to Rick’s mind.

Rick groaned and shifted, giving Daryl easier access, leaning his head back a little, turning it just a bit to the side, opening his lips wider and letting Daryl’s tongue slip deeper. Daryl moaned into the kiss, biting into Rick’s bottom lip and sucking on Rick’s tongue when he caught it.  
“Jesus” Rick whispered, breathless, pulling away just to look at Daryl. He had shifted from his position next to Rick. Now he was positively looming over Rick’s body, one leg planted on the floor for support, the other bent at the knee, still on the couch, digging into it, and that picture made Rick shudder. His mind quickly turned the tables on him and in his head, he saw himself in this position, knees digging into the mattress of his bed as Daryl leaned over his back. Rick closed his eyes and tried to take a few deep breaths to calm himself down, to stop the heat from pooling low in his spine before it got too hot.

“Rick?” Daryl sounded just as wild as his kisses had been and Rick blurted out “Bed?” before he had a chance to change his mind and get very personal with the concept of dry-humping Daryl’s leg. The fighter nodded and stood up and Rick followed suit, leading the way. Before they managed to set one foot outside the living room, however, Daryl tugged Rick to the side and pressed him into the nearest wall, crowding into his space. The sheriff looked up at him, the heat of Daryl’s body pressed firmly to his making him dizzy on the spot. Daryl took his face in both hands and kissed him soundly, like he couldn’t get enough of doing that, like it was the most important thing in the world right now. _And maybe it was_ , Rick thought, as his lungs burned and his head started to swim. They pried themselves from the wall shortly after. Breathing hard and with his limbs twitching, Rick led them down the corridor and to his bedroom.

As soon as they stepped over the threshold, Daryl caught Rick into his arms, wrapping them around Rick’s waist and holding him in place, his chest to Rick’s back.  
“Got a question for ya” Daryl rasped into his ear and Rick almost shouted ‘ _yes!’_ before the question even appeared.  
“Mhm?” Talking was difficult with Daryl’s full length pressed to Rick’s body, _with the hardness inside Daryl’s black jeans pressing into Rick’s ass._  
“How far ya wanna go with this?” Daryl asked, demonstrating what he was talking about with a grind of his hips and, _oh shit_ , but now even _breathing_ was difficult.

“Want everything… Told you already” Rick murmured, licking his lips and leaning his head back on Daryl’s shoulder. “No punching, though” Rick added, without really knowing the reason. He felt Daryl tense up behind him and next thing he knew, Daryl was spinning him around, pinning him with his gaze.  
“That what ya think of me?” Daryl growled, and Rick could feel his own blush making his cheeks hot. _Why did he even say that? It wasn’t like Daryl hadn’t made sure that last time to keep him safe. He even had gotten his hands between Rick’s head and the wall, before he fucked his mouth…_  
“No. No, I’m sorry” Rick shook his head, looking down to where Daryl’s hands were gripping his wrists. “You asked. I answered. I don’t think that…” he risked a glance up and noticed how Daryl’s eyes turned soft. The fighter ran one hand over Rick’s cheek and smiled, seeing Rick lean into the touch.

And just like that, Daryl was kissing him again, pushing his tongue into Rick’s mouth and sucking the air out of his lungs. Rick moaned into it, letting himself be pushed backwards. They stumbled blindly, finally falling on the bed, Rick with a soft _thump_ , Daryl crawling after him. He looked down at Rick, hair falling into his fiery eyes, and Rick felt like Daryl’s stare was enough to make him explode. He could just stay there and let Daryl watch as he brought himself off.

Daryl tugged at Rick’s t-shirt, racking it up and pushing his hands underneath, splaying his fingers over Rick’s abdomen, moving them higher. It brought a hiss to Rick’s lips and he threw his head back, arching into the touch. Daryl’s hands were rough, skin hardened with fighting catching on the delicate flesh over Rick’s ribs. Those hands wandered lower, leaving Rick to deal with the t-shirt and getting busy with his fly. It was a quick work, pop, slide and soon, his jeans were tugged down, along with his underwear. Rick shivered, trying to get rid of the t-shirt and watching Daryl at the same time. The fighter paused, taking him in, before that dangerous smile was on his face again - the smile that had melted Rick’s knees all those nights ago outside the club.

When Rick finally tugged the t-shirt over his head and threw it somewhere to the side, he sat up, hands immediately landing on Daryl’s button-up, fingers fumbling as he undid it. He leaned in and started to kiss and lick every new inch of Daryl’s skin he revealed, pausing at the right nipple, sucking it and worrying it with his teeth until Daryl’s hands gripped his arms, nails digging into his skin. Daryl made a raw sound when Rick turned his attention to the other nipple, his hips starting a small rocking motion that didn’t go unnoticed by Rick. He let one of his hands travel down, cupping Daryl through his trousers, moaning when he felt the weight of Daryl’s cock in his palm.

Rick detached himself, looking up, meeting Daryl’s eyes. They were almost black now, a bit unfocused but following each and every of Rick’s moves.  
“Come on” Rick prompted and, being done with the shirt, started to undo Daryl’s trousers. Daryl helped him, and soon, his clothing joined Rick’s on the floor and Daryl pressed him into the mattress. Rick writhed underneath him, body alive wherever their skin touched, and Rick tried to get as much contact as he could. Daryl grunted about him, something about _lube_ and Rick tried to focus enough to reach into his bedside table drawer and take the little bottle out. It was already unsealed - Rick had bought it just after meeting Daryl, a steady hand on his cock not really enough anymore - and about one third of its contents was already used up. Daryl took it, throwing Rick a dirty look that would make him blush if he were younger. As it was it only served to make him feel hotter and Rick closed his eyes, focusing on the way Daryl’s fingers traveled over his stomach and down between his legs. They paused briefly when they reached Rick’s cock, hard and leaking over his abdomen.

“Jesus” Rick’s eyes flew open when Daryl wrapped his hand tightly around him, giving him a few tugs. He was leaning over Rick, watching Rick’s face with burning eyes and Rick’s brain chose this moment to remind him of the way Daryl had jacked him off in that alley behind the club. But then something was different than that time, something shifted, and Daryl’s lips landed softly on Rick’s, kissing him gently as his fingers skimmed lower and one of them sank slowly into Rick. The feeling was new and familiar at the same time - Rick had experimented in college, after all. But it was _Daryl_ , and Rick whined, both hands shooting to Daryl’s arms, gripping them and holding on as he let himself be kissed stupid. The finger probed and prodded, and just when Rick was wondering if going mad from this was a valid option for him, he felt another finger brush the rim, before it slipped past, _slipped inside_ , and Rick moaned, sound muffled by Daryl’s lips still on his. He tried to will his body to relax, to speed it up, and it must have worked somehow, because soon, Daryl could move his fingers inside a bit.

And then he _shoved_ them both inside, and Rick’s whole body _jerked_ , arching back, nerves lighting up like a christmas tree. He whined, a small, soft sound, and Daryl made a sympathetic noise, breaking away and looking at him. There was something different and warm in Daryl’s eyes, but it was there just for a second, before that burning fire was in them again and Daryl wiggled his fingers _inside_ Rick, making him moan aloud. Rick didn’t really know how long Daryl kept playing with his ass like this, wiggling, stretching, shoving in and pulling out, but two fingers turned into three, and by the time they were moving effortlessly, too, Rick was slowly losing his mind. He was drenched in sweat, muscles twitching, writhing on the bed restlessly, breathless with pleasure. And Daryl must have liked it a lot, too - his cock was constantly rubbing on Rick’s thigh, leaving precome smeared everywhere. It felt filthy and dirty and _perfectly hot_ to Rick, so he let himself open his mouth and moan out his approval. He wasn’t lying idle either. While Daryl had been busy working on his ass, Rick had his own personal goal. Rick started his exploration of Daryl’s body from his shoulders, broad and firm, muscles shifting every time Daryl changed his position a little. Then, Rick’s palms went over Daryl’s back, nails scraping over his skin when Daryl turned all his attention to Rick’s prostate. It stopped Rick for a moment, his mind reminding him that _breathing was important_ , before he continued, too excited to notice the change of smoothness in different places on Daryl’s back.

Who could blame him? Rick was way too busy cataloging the way Daryl’s ass worked when he rocked his hips, grinding into Rick. And then, Rick tightened his hands when Daryl did something particularly good, and Rick’s nails scraped over Daryl’s ass and Daryl growled, actually fucking _growled_ , right into Rick’s ear. He pulled his fingers out of Rick’s ass, the squelching sound it provoked loud and obscene in the quiet room, and grabbed Rick by his arms, tugging him up. Rick frowned, but didn’t go further than opening his mouth, before he was turned onto his front, Daryl settling behind him immediately. There was a brief pause and Rick used it to get his footing back. He pushed himself to hands and knees, feeling Daryl move behind him. A short moment later Daryl’s hands were on Rick again, running down his back as Daryl hissed out a quiet “fuck” and settled his palms on Rick’s hips. Everything went quiet and still for a few seconds.

 _Daryl was watching him_ , Rick realized. Daryl was watching Rick’s ass, staring at it, his gaze like a physical caress, and _fuck_ , but it all pooled down in Rick’s belly like liquid fire. He groaned and pushed back with his hips, ending up pressing right into Daryl’s cock. It nestled between his cheeks, hot and heavy and so fucking _wet_ , Rick was sure the previous pause had been used to slick it up with lube.

“Rick” Daryl gruffed out, leaning back a little, _positioning himself_ , and Rick swallowed, throat working nervously.  
“Yeah?” He asked when nothing followed. But then Daryl’s fingers touched his ass again, one fingertip dancing on the edge of his hole, tickling and making Rick close his eyes. He nodded empathetically. “Yes, _Christ, yes…_ ” And then Rick couldn’t speak or think or _breathe_ , because Daryl’s cock was at his entrance and it was slipping inside and _fuck_ , but Daryl was bigger than his three fingers combined. Daryl pressed all the way inside and froze, hands gripping Rick’s hips tightly, as if he knew how desperately Rick was trying not to tremble apart.  
“Jesus” Rick breathed out once his brain restored some function. He tried to move a bit, because the length inside him drove him nuts. It was too much and not enough all at once, like an itch he tried to scratch but missed on every pass.

One tiny wiggle that resulted in a burning sensation - but no pain - and an awkward shifting on knees later, Rick started to rock his hips in small, barely-there motions. Daryl held still for a moment, hands tightening and nails clawing at Rick’s flesh, before he let out a raspy sound Rick had never heard before. He pulled back and pushed right in, wrecking Rick’s nerves and drawing a moan out of him. Rick’s hands fisted in the bedding, bracing his body, while he focused on matching Daryl’s rhythm. It was slow at first, exploratory, just to see what would make Rick tick and twitch. Soon, Daryl had it all figured out and he kicked up the pace, fucking into Rick in long, luxurious strokes. Rick’s own cock was hanging between his legs, hard and neglected till now, aching a little already and Rick moved a hand to grab himself. Daryl saw the movement and caught his hand, bringing it back behind Rick’s hips and pinning it there.  
“Not yet” Daryl rasped, breathless, never stopping his thrusts that gained in power with every second that passed.  
“Daryl…”  
“Can ya? Without?” Daryl panted and Rick shook his head.  
“ _Don’t_ _know_ ” he choked out because Daryl had changed the angle a bit and his cock brushed Rick’s sweet spot on every few strokes now. “Never tried” Rick finished, head getting fuzzy.

Daryl hummed and tugged Rick’s other hand from under him, pulling him up so Rick was almost seated in his lap. Daryl kept Rick’s hands behind his back, making him bow back and stretch out like an offering. The angle shifted immediately, Daryl’s cock pressing against Rick’s prostate every time he pushed back inside him and _Jesus_ , but the first time it happened, Rick almost howled. And Daryl just kept on going, thrusts getting quicker but no less powerful, Rick’s body frozen in place, mouth open, suspended in the blissful pleasure frying his nerve endings.  
“Shit, fuck, Daryl… I need to…”  
“Then do it” Daryl grunted behind him, hips losing their rhythm. Smooth movements turned into uneven jerks and Daryl had just enough presence of mind to remember that he was still holding Rick’s hands. He shifted his hold on Rick’s arms, grabbing his wrists with one hand, as Daryl’s other went around and fisted Rick’s cock. Two tugs. Two tugs and Rick was coming all over Daryl’s fingers and the sheets underneath, mewling when Daryl nailed his prostate, squeezing the length still moving inside his ass. Daryl muffled a shout in Rick’s shoulder and he was there, too, shooting deep inside Rick, panting into his ear as if he’d just run a marathon.

They collapsed in a boneless heap, smashing into the wet spot, but neither of them cared. Rick snuggled tiredly into the crook of Daryl’s arm and Daryl sighed softly, making room for him.

When Rick’s brain came back online a bit later, Daryl was fast asleep, curled up against him, and Rick felt something very warm bloom inside his chest seeing that. He looked around, spotting the blanket they must have kicked off of the bed and grabbed it, covering both of them, before he settled back down. Daryl made a soft snoring sound and his arm sneaked around Rick, wrapping him in a tight embrace. Rick fell asleep feeling Daryl’s come dripping out of him slowly and wearing the stupidest smile in the whole state of Georgia.

 

-&-

 

Rick woke in the morning to the sound of car tyres screeching somewhere in the neighborhood. He opened his eyes, noticing immediately that Daryl was still there with him. Rick was spooning him, thighs and hips pressed close, back leaning away a little. It gave Rick the perfect view of Daryl’s skin, pale in the half-light of the early morning. There were shadows speaking of muscles beneath the surface, relaxed after yesterday’s evening events. He placed one hand tentatively on Daryl’s shoulder, careful not to wake him. His skin was so warm Rick just wanted to push his face against it and go back to sleep, but his fingers moved on their own accord and he frowned, feeling an uneven patch just under Daryl’s shoulder blade. He tugged the blanket a bit lower down, just an inch or so, just enough to let him see.

Rick gasped, taking in the scars that littered Daryl’s back. There were plenty of them, deep and long, no longer red or even pink, just a tone lighter than Daryl’s skin. Rick fingered them gently, just to touch them, to memorize the pattern. He hadn’t seen them before, not with Daryl fucking him and not when they had been fighting in the club and Daryl had been keeping him within his sight all the time.

Daryl stirred and Rick saw as he tensed suddenly. He frowned again, risking a glance up, but Daryl remained like he was, back turned to Rick.  
“Morning” Rick whispered, throat not really working properly when he was still sleepy. He had had a few nightmares he couldn’t wake up from, and he only hoped he hadn’t woken Daryl up with them. Daryl grunted in acknowledgment and Rick moved closer, kissing Daryl’s shoulder and wrapping his arms around Daryl’s waist. He was still all tensed up under Rick’s palms and Rick thought he must have crossed some invisible line with his curiosity. He didn’t like how Daryl felt against him right now, _Rick didn’t like it one bit_ , so he had to do something to remedy that.

“The beginnings are hard, huh?” Rick asked, and Daryl’s whole body twitched. He was dead silent and Rick went on as if he didn’t notice it. “What was it, a bottle in a club on your first fight?” Rick continued, repositioning his hands on Daryl’s stomach so he could move them a little in small circles. He liked touching Daryl, he loved it actually, and he tried to convey it in his touch.  
“Somethin’ like that” Daryl gruffed out finally and Rick nodded, leaning back just to kiss one of the scars, before he pressed close again. He could hear Daryl swallow hard, but his body started to relax a little in Rick’s arms. “Ya don’t mind?” Daryl asked and Rick shook his head, aware that his curls probably tickled Daryl’s shoulder.  
“You’re a fighter. Seems fitting” Rick stated and closed his eyes, feeling himself start to drift off again. He was glad he had this day off, too, and that there was nowhere he had to be except here, basking in the afterglow of what they had done the previous night.

“Who’s Shane?” Rick heard Daryl ask and opened his eyes lazily.  
“My partner…” Rick licked his lips, thinking back to how Shane had stumbled in on them in that back alley. “You’ve met him.”  
“That attack dog barkin’ at me outside the club?” Daryl’s voice was curious and Rick grinned, hearing Shane’s new nickname. It fit somehow.  
“Yeah, that’s him. Why d’you ask?”  
“Ya had a nightmare… been callin’ ‘im” Daryl explained, shrugging, and Rick frowned, a bit more awake now. _So he had woken Daryl up._ He had woken Daryl up and still couldn’t have woken _himself_ , and how fucking _pathetic_ that was?  
“Sorry I woke you” Rick mumbled, pressing his lips to Daryl’s skin, tongue flicking out for a taste just because he could do it. Daryl hummed.  
“‘s okay. Was worried for a sec…” Daryl hesitated and Rick felt a sharp tug somewhere in the vicinity of his heart. Daryl _cared_. He cared enough to try to wake Rick up, he cared enough to bring the topic in the morning. “Ya wanna talk about it or somethin’?”

...apparently, Daryl cared enough to want to listen to Rick vent about it, too. Jesus. _Christ_.

Rick was pawing at Daryl’s arms and turning him around before he even registered what he was doing. Once he had Daryl facing him, Rick took his face in his hands and smashed their lips together, Daryl’s fingers shooting to his hair and trying to slow the assault down. But Rick wouldn’t have it, he just kept on kissing Daryl, kissing him like he was drowning and Daryl was the last hope for him to ever get to the shore. Rick wasn’t sure where that had come from, just that in this little moment he felt like he could really breathe for the first time since everything went down. He could finally let air into his lungs, even if all he was breathing in right at this moment was the second-hand air they shared between gasps and moans.  
“Jesus” Daryl panted when they broke for a moment, “slow down, will ya?”  
“Can’t” Rick rasped, trying to get back to kissing Daryl, but two strong hands stopped him from leaning in again.  
“What is it?” Daryl pressed and Rick blinked at him.

It was a good question, too. The problem was, Rick didn’t _know_. One moment he had been lonely, crushed and crumbled by what had happened to Leon, what had happened to all of them in that club, the next, Daryl had strutted in and made him feel _alive_ again. Rick tried to stop his brain from forming scenarios in his head, scenarios speaking of dates and movies and cuddling and going out together to get into trouble. He was a police officer, sheriff’s deputy for Christ’s sake. He shouldn’t get into trouble. But Daryl made him feel alive and Daryl’s lifestyle was the essence of trouble and Rick wanted to just roll around in it and get dirty. Maybe it was the adrenaline, maybe it was Daryl’s strength, maybe it was the danger of dating a fighter, but Rick wanted it all. He desperately tried not to think about how Daryl could come back home and Rick would be there, wrapping his bloodied knuckles and kissing them better.

Rick tried and failed.

“Dinner” Rick choked out and closed his eyes to compose himself when his throat tightened up.  
“Huh?”  
“Dinner. Do you want to go out for dinner with me?” Rick asked, looking at Daryl, aware that hope was probably visible in his gaze, written all over his face.  
“Yer all over me like a lost puppy ‘cause ya want dinner?” Daryl frowned and Rick nodded. Silence followed, silence filled with Daryl staring at Rick with a curious expression on his face.  
“Alright” Daryl answered finally and Rick’s smile in that moment had more watts than the sun itself. He barked out a laugh and leaned down, pressing his face into Daryl’s chest.  
“Yer weird, ya know?” Daryl huffed out, fingers threading through Rick’s hair, untangling it and brushing it back.  
“Good weird or bad weird?”  
“Dunno yet” Daryl smirked, “ask me after dinner” he murmured, tugging Rick’s head up. Rick grinned and just like that, they went back to kissing.

After dinner, Daryl decided that he was the good kind of weird. At least that’s what Rick thought, seeing as Daryl fucked him again.

_And stayed in his bed for another night._

 

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me what you think in the comments, 'cause I am planning on writing a third part for this.


End file.
